NASHVILLE PREDATORS OPEN 2016-17 SEASON WITH HOME AND HOME AGAINST BLACKHAWKS

-Predators begin 19th season, presented by Fifth Third Bank on October 14 at Bridgestone Arena-

Nashville, Tenn. (June 21, 2016) – The Nashville Predators begin their 19th season with a home-and-home series against the rival Chicago Blackhawks as the 2016-17 campaign, presented by Fifth Third Bank, gets underway on Friday, Oct. 14 at Bridgestone Arena and continues 24 hours later at the United Center in Chicago. The month of October sees the Preds face off against seven different opponents, all of who qualified for the postseason in 2016, as the club begins their quest for their first Stanley Cup.

After beginning the season with two contests against Chicago, the Preds will welcome the Dallas Stars to town on Oct. 18 for the first of five meetings between the Central Division foes. After making their final trip to Joe Louis Arena to face the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 21, the Preds then return home to host the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 22, the first of 11 Golden Saturdays on the schedule. Nashville then heads out west for one of two, five-game road trips on the season, the longest stretch the team will spend away from Smashville. The trip, which begins on Oct. 26 in Anaheim, will see the Preds face both of their 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff opponents, the Ducks and the Western Conference Champion San Jose Sharks, for the first time since last spring.

The Predators return home on Nov. 5 to begin the first of two, four-game home stands – the longest stretch they’ll spend at home in 2016-17. Anaheim makes their only regular-season appearance at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 12, their first visit since falling to the Preds in Game Six of their Round One series in the 2016 postseason. The Predators remain home around the Thanksgiving holiday, with a game on Nov. 23 versus Dallas, followed by a “Gold” Friday meeting with the Winnipeg Jets at 5 p.m.

Nashville has their first of five (game start no later than 4 p.m. CT) afternoon home games on Saturday, Dec. 3 when they host the New Jersey Devils at 1 p.m., followed by a Sunday evening contest against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. After a pair of road trips in the month of December, the club is once again home for the holidays, scheduled to host the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 22, the final game before a four-day Christmas break from Dec. 23-26. The Preds then welcome the Minnesota Wild to town on Dec. 27, while the Blackhawks arrive on Dec. 29.

The Preds will play their first game of 2017 on Jan. 3 when the Montreal Canadiens come to Nashville, before the team takes their remaining five-game road trip, beginning in Colorado on Jan. 14. The club then heads through western Canada, including their first visit to the new Rogers Place in Edmonton on Jan. 20, before finishing in Minnesota on Jan. 22. Nashville then returns home to host the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 24 before Seth Jones and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 26, the team’s final game before the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles on Jan. 27-29.

A visit to Pittsburgh comes on Jan. 31 before the Preds play nine home games in the month of February, tied with December for the highest total of the season. Included in the February home slate are visits from Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 2 and 26, the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, Feb. 4 and former Preds Head Coach Barry Trotz and the Washington Capitals on Saturday, Feb. 25. Also included in February is a five-day bye week for the first time in League history. The Predators will be off from Feb. 13-17, with back-to-back sets – the first set at home and the second on the road – bookending the five-day break. Preds center Ryan Johansen is scheduled to make his first appearance in Columbus since joining the Predators via trade last season when they play the Blue Jackets on Sunday, Feb. 19.

The Blackhawks make their final visit of the season on March 4 before the Preds head to California for the second and final time in 2016-17. The Sharks make their only appearance of the regular season in Nashville on Saturday, March 25, their first visit since Game Six of Round Two of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who hold the first pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, come to town on March 30 to close out the final full month of the regular season.

The Predators close out their home slate on Tuesday, April 4 when the New York Islanders come to town, before finishing the 2016-17 season with games at Central Division rivals Dallas on April 6 and Winnipeg on April 8.

The 2016-17 schedule includes 11 Saturday home dates, including visits from the Penguins, Ducks, New York Rangers, Red Wings, Capitals, Blackhawks and Sharks. Nashville’s first three games of the season – and four of their final five – come against Central Division opponents. The Preds will play every Central Division club – Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota and St. Louis – five times, with the exception of Winnipeg, who the Predators will see on four occasions.

QUICK HITS:

The Preds open at home for the third consecutive season and for the fourth time in the past nine seasons.

Nashville plays at home 11 times each on Tuesdays and Saturdays during the 2015-16 regular season. The club also has 10 Thursday home games.

The team will play two, five-game road trips, the longest of the season, with the first coming from Oct. 26-Nov. 3. The Preds hit the road again for five outings, from Jan. 14-Jan. 22.

The Predators have at least one home and one away game on every day of the week. December and February see nine home games each; the team is on the road for nine games in January.

The schedule includes 13 sets of back-to-back games, with three of the two-games-in-two nights scenarios taking place at home, six on the road and the remaining four featuring a game at home and a game on the road.

Full and half season-tickets are on sale now starting as low as $75 per month. The Predators offer season-ticket holders the most dynamic benefits package in professional sports, including access to Smashville Rewards, special pre-sale opportunities for Bridgestone Arena shows and events and Stanley Cup Playoff priority. To order season-tickets, visit nashvillepredators.com/seasons or contact a ticket representative at 615-770-7800.

Fans can take advantage of the Preds Draft Week Special, taking place this week only, courtesy of Bud Light. Fans can purchase one full season-ticket or two half season-tickets in the Bud Light Fan Zone for only $2,016, a savings of more than $700. Fans purchasing this package will also receive a 2016 NHL Draft hat signed by the Predators first-round draft pick, a drawstring pack courtesy of Bud Light and all full season-ticket holder benefits. To order, call 615-770-7800.